Trade marketing is a common term you hear in the alcohol and beverage distribution industry. Big companies dedicate entire teams to each sales channel, whether that’s convenience stores, liquor stores, on-premise accounts, grocery, or mass retail. It’s a boots-on-the-ground function, built to generate sales velocity and get products moving off shelves.
In 2023, Minnesota enacted a law allowing hemp products to be sold in retail stores outside a dispensary through special licensing. Liquor stores in general must abide by a strict list of items they can sell, and when the law passed, it gave them a much-needed lifeline as alcohol sales continued to decline.
Target’s decision to start selling hemp-derived THC beverages marks a major milestone for the cannabis industry and a reality check for brands hoping to follow.
A wave of infused beverage brands flooded the market over the last few years. Now, the sector has entered a period of settling and reassessment, as operators pause to evaluate the real opportunity and determine the smartest path forward amid ongoing legal uncertainty.
Circana is one of the biggest names in consumer-market research and analytics, and its Total Store Model offers a useful lens for understanding where hemp beverages fit into the broader retail landscape.
Reach the people building the hemp beverage industry. Hemp Beverage News covers the brands, distributors, retailers, and regulators shaping the fastest-moving category in the beverage business. Our readers are the operators making purchasing, distribution, investing, and go-to-market decisions right now.
If you sell to hemp beverage brands or you’re a brand looking to get in front of buyers and distributors, advertising with HBN puts you in front of the audience that matters. Contact us to receive our media kit by filling in the form below.
